Published 4:00 am, Thursday, January 6, 2005

Photo: Liz Mangelsdorf

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niners16_lm.JPG Event on 11/28/04 in San Francisco.
Niner #50 Derek Smith smmiles on the sidelines after his TD interception was called a TD by the reviewing referees. This waws the first niner TD of the game. The Miami Dolphins beat the San Francisco 49ers 24-17 at Monster Park. Liz Mangelsdorf / The Chronicle Ran on: 11-29-2004
Monster Park fans let the world know their indifference to the 49ers' fate in the battle between the league's two worst teams. Ran on: 11-29-2004
Monster Park fans let the world know their indifference to the 49ers' fate in the battle between the league's two worst teams. MANDATORY CREDIT FOR PHOTOG AND SF CHRONICLE/ -MAGS OUT less

niners16_lm.JPG Event on 11/28/04 in San Francisco.
Niner #50 Derek Smith smmiles on the sidelines after his TD interception was called a TD by the reviewing referees. This waws the first niner TD of the game. ... more

The frustration and embarrassment of San Francisco's 2-14 season obviously reached its alumni. As Cross put it, co-owner John York really didn't need to solicit opinions as he contemplated his response to this train wreck of a season, because people were eager to pipe up.

That included Cross, who spoke to York "a couple of times" in recent weeks. Cross made his perspective clear, both with York and in a telephone interview with The Chronicle after Wednesday's announcement.

"I feel for Dennis and Terry, but there's definitely some stuff that needs to be addressed there," said Cross, now an NFL analyst for CBS. "I think John is committed to fix this thing. I'm willing to bet that he is ...

"I mean, this isn't an easy thing to do (firing Donahue and Erickson). I think they have a very well-run business side, but the football side has sort of atrophied. It's not one of those things where you say it's in total disarray. From the dollars-and-cents side, they've got their act together.

"I think John is committed to hiring the best guy he can get. If he was going to do something like this, it had to be done at this time. You wouldn't want this to happen three or four weeks from now."

Erickson's exit might have been more costly, given the $7.5 million he's owed over the next three years, but Donahue's departure might resonate more loudly in the locker room. Players reportedly were not enamored of Donahue's front-office maneuvers in his four seasons as the 49ers' GM.

Linebacker Derek Smith provided a lukewarm reply when asked about Donahue, saying they occasionally exchanged greetings but otherwise did not have a substantive relationship. Smith indirectly suggested that York, Donahue and Erickson were often not in sync.

"Whoever they hire, everybody needs to be on the same page -- starting with York, then the head coach and the GM," Smith said. "It can't be management, ownership and coaching as three separate entities. It needs to be one."

Asked if Wednesday's moves would be good for the 49ers in the long run, Smith said, "I think so. I don't know what was going on upstairs, but obviously York felt like things weren't being taken care of the right way. ... I guess you could say he's doing what he thinks is necessary to get the ship right. Hopefully, he has some good people in mind to take over."

"Players are held accountable, owners are held accountable and there has to be accountability across the board," Peterson said. "Obviously, it was determined there was a lack of production in that position (GM), or he wouldn't have been let go."

This season matched the worst in franchise history, a dubious mark established in 1978 and duplicated in '79. Then-owner Eddie DeBartolo hired Bill Walsh away from Stanford before the '79 season; Walsh needed only three years to lead the 49ers to the Super Bowl title.

Players on the '78 team described coaches Pete McCulley and Fred O'Connor as handcuffed by power-hungry general manager Joe Thomas. That abruptly changed in 1979, when DeBartolo handed Walsh firm control.

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At least one player from that gloomy-turned-golden era, offensive tackle Keith Fahnhorst, advocated the return to a head coach with widespread influence.

"Hopefully, they can find someone like Bill Walsh who has complete control," said Fahnhorst, who played for the 49ers from 1974-87. "That's probably what's been lacking. ... There are quality guys out there who can turn a franchise around. They're just pricey."

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